18_STUDY ON USE

ISSN: 2319-8753

International Journal of Innovative Research in Science, Engineering and Technology Vol. 2, Issue 3, March 2013

Copyright to IJIRSET www.ijirset.com 633

STUDY ON USE OF PLASTIC WASTE IN

ROAD CONSTRUCTION

Mercy Joseph Poweth1, Solly George

2,Jessy Paul

3

Professor ,Department of Civil Engineering ,M.A .College of Engineering ,Kothamangalam,India ,Pin-6866661



Abstract: The population growth, industrialization, consumerism and technological development have led to

uncontrollable accumulation of waste. Proper waste disposal is of great importance in both rural and urban

areas. This study discussed the suitability of plastic waste materials for pavement construction.. The waste is

mixed in different proportions to the soil sample and their influences on geotechnical properties were studied.

The results of the tests indicated that plastic alone is not suitable for pavement subgrade. When quarry dust

was added along with soil plastic mix,it maintains the CBR value within the required range.

Keywords: plastic waste, pavement, CBR Value

I. INTRODUCTION

The rate of production of waste has increased tremendously in almost all parts of the world in the past few decades. The

quantities of these waste that are accumulating, are causing serious disposal problems. The conventional methods of

disposal are found to be inadequate.Due to population growth, industrialization, consumerism and technological

development there has been a tremendous increase in the rate of production of waste. Every year, 7.2 million tonnes of

hazardous waste is produced and its disposal is becoming a major issue and about one km2 of additional landfill area is

needed every year. Indian government spends about Rs 1600 crore for treatment & disposal of these wastes. In addition

to this, industries discharge about 150 million tonnes of high volume low hazard waste every year, which is mostly

dumped on open low lying land areas..In this scenario, the conventional waste disposal methods are found to be

inadequate. Through this project, a small attempt has been made at deducing a new method of waste disposal. This

paper aims at proposing a new method of disposal of plastic, quarry dust and tyre waste by using them in the sub grade

soil of pavement. The Main objective of this study are safe and productive disposal of wastes - plastic, quarry dust and

tyre, study of index properties and CBR values of variable mixes of soil and waste and suitability of soil-waste mix in

sub grade. This paper aims at proposing a new method of disposal of plastic, quarry dust and tyre waste by using them

in the sub grade of pavements. A series of laboratory tests including specific gravity, grain size analysis, Atterbergs limits and CBR test were conducted for this purpose. The results of the tests are presented and discussed in this paper.

II. EXPERIMENTAL STUDY

MATERIALS USED

Soil: The soil sample for the experimental work was collected from Kothamangalam, Ernakulam District. The results of

the laboratory tests conducted for soils are shown in Table 1. The test were carried out as per IS Code specifications.

Plastic: Plastic waste was collected from Star polymers-waste plastics processing unit, Perumbavoor, Ernakulum

District. The plastic waste used for the experiments is the left over of processed plastic waste and cannot be recycled.

Quarry dust: Quarry dust was collected from nearest quarry stone site at Kothamangalam,Ernakulam District. The

sample used for the study .

TESTS CONDUCTED

1. Grain size analysis for soil sample, plastic and quarry dust 2. Liquid limit for different soil-waste mixes 3. Shrinkage limit for optimum mixes 4. Standard proctor test 5. CBR

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Table1: PROPERTIES OF MATERIALS USED

Properties Soil Plastic Tyre Quarrydust

1)Specific gravity 2.55 0.471 0.55 3.03

2)Grain Size Analysis

a) D10

b) D30

c) D60

d) Cu

e) Cc

f) >4.75mm(Gravel)(%)

g) 4.7-0.75mm(sand)(%)

h)

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waste, another locally available tyre was also mixed and the same test was done. From these various tests different

optimum soil-waste samples were optained and CBR tests were carried out.

The test results of the different soil waste mixes are tabulated in table 3 and 4

The required percentage of waste plastics/waste tyre rubber chips/quarry dust by dry weight of soil was mixed

uniformly with the soil, water content corresponding to OMC was added to the soil. CBR tests were conducted in the

laboratory on soil sample mixed with different percentages of waste materials.

Table 3: PROPERTY VARIATION FOR DIFFERENT MIXES

Table 4: PROPERTIES OF OPTIMUM MIXES

Mix Liquid

limit(%) OMC(%)

(d)max max g/cc

S100 37.8 16 1.75

S80Q20 33 18 1.79

S60Q40 28 14.2 1.93

S40Q60 22 13.6 1.95

S96P4 39 17 1.63

S88P12 31 18 1.52

S80P20 35 22 1.35

S20P80 59 46 0.72

S80T20 - 18.2 1.49

S40Q40P20 28.5 18.9 1.385

S54Q36P10 27 15.5 1.66

S36Q54P10 24.5 14.6 1.67

S36Q54P10 24.5 14.6 1.67

S54Q36T10 23.5 13.2 1.72

S36Q54T10 22.5 12.5 1.76

MIX LIQUID

LIMIT(%)

SHRINKAGE

LIMIT(%)

OMC

(%)

d max (g/cc)

CBR

S100 37.8 11.2 16 1.75 12.16

S60,Q40 28 - 12.5 1.93 13.62

S40,Q60 22 - 13.6 1.95 15.82

S54,Q36,P10 27 13.85 15.5 1.66 7.77

S36,Q54,P10 24.5 22.93 14.6 1.67 10.9

S54,Q36,T10 23.5 28.65 13.2 1.72 4.82

S36,Q54,T10 22.5 12.7 12.5 1.76 4.85

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Based on the Standard proctor test results it was observed that,for soil sample mixed with waste plastics, the maximum

dry density decreases and the optimum water content increases as the percentage of plastic waste in mix increases.

Hence higher percentage of plastic waste is not advisable as the plastic waste percentage increases liquid limit increases.

At 12% plastic, contrary to this trend the liquid limit decreases and later mixes continues the old trend. Thus for further

work optimum percentage of plastic was fixed as 10%. Based on the Standard proctor test results it was observed

that,for soil sample mixed

with quarry dust, by the addition of quarry dust the maximum dry density of the soil increases, and for every 10%

increase in quarry dust liquid limit decreases at the rate of about 2.6%. But the rate increases as the percentage

increases.Since the soil plastic waste mixes gave lower CBR value, quarry dust was introduced to this mix. Based on

the Standard proctor test results it was observed that, for soil sample mixed with plastic waste and quarry dust,

maximum dry density decreases as the percentage of plastic waste increases in the mix. And maximum dry density is

higher for 10% plastic waste with higher quarry dust percentage and as the percentage of plastic increases liquid limit

decreases and shrinkage limit decreases with increases in soil percentage in the mix.Based on the Standard proctor test

results it was observed that, for soil sample mixed with tyre waste, the maximum dry density decreases as the waste

tyre percentage in mixes increases. Hence increase in percentage of tyre in mix is not advisable. By the addition of 80%

tyre waste the maximum dry density of the soil sample decreased from 1.75 g/cc to 0.85 g/cc. The same trend is

observed for 80% plastic waste addition. From these we can conclude higher percentage of tyre or plastic addition to

soil is not advisable. Based on the Standard proctor test results it was observed that,for soil sample mixed with tyre

waste and quarry dust, at a constant tyre percentage as the quarry dust increase the maximum dry density increases and

optimum moisture content decreases and as the percentage of quarry dust increases the liquid limit decreases and the

shrinkage limit decreases with increase in quarry dust percentage in the mix.

CBR

From the above data, the optimum mixes were determined based on the maximum dry density of the different waste

soil mixes.The optimum mixes were concluded as S60Q40, S40Q60, S54Q36P10, S36Q54P10, S54Q36T10,

S36Q54T10. The results are tabulated in table 5

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

S100 S36 Q54

P10

S54 Q36

P10

S60 Q40 S40 Q60 S54 Q36

T10

S36 Q54

T10

CB

R V

ALU

E(%

)

MIX

FIG 1 CBR VALUES OF OPTIMUM MIXES

CBR

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Based on the CBR results it was observed that

1. CBR value of quarry dust mix is higher than the blank soil

2. CBR value of plastic and tyre waste is less than the blank soil but can be used for the pavement subgrade

3. CBR value of soil quarry dust plastic mix is higher than the soil quarry dust tyre mix

4. For all the mixes the liquid limit was decreasing. But the shrinkage limit increases for all the combination. While observing the shrinkage limit for higher percentage of quarry dust in soil mixes, its observed that 10%

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

S100 S36 Q54 P10

S54 Q36 P10

S60 Q40 S40 Q60 S54 Q36 T10

S36 Q54 T10

OM

C (

%)

MIX

FIG 2. OMC OF OPTIMUM MIXES

OMC

1.5

1.55

1.6

1.65

1.7

1.75

1.8

1.85

1.9

1.95

2

S100 S36 Q54 P10

S54 Q36 P10

S60 Q40 S40 Q60 S54 Q36 T10

S36 Q54 T10

MA

X D

RY

DEN

SITY

(g/c

c)

MIX

FIG 3 MAXIMUM DRY DENSITY OF OPTIMUM MIXES

d

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plastic is having more effect than tyre. The reverse trend is observed for lower percentage of quarry dust in

soil quarry dust mix.

IV CONCLUSIONS

CBR and standard proctor tests were carried out for finding the optimum percentages of waste plastics, and quarry dust

in soil sample. Based on the laboratory studies carried out in this work, the conclusions that can be drawn here

1. As the percentage of plastic waste increases the maximum dry density decreases, thereby decreasing the CBR value. Hence quarry dust was mixed along with the soil plastic mix, to increase its maximum dry density.

2. Increase in percentage of quarry dust resulted in increase of maximum dry density and CBR value. Hence quarry dust was found to be suitable for pavement subgrade.

3. In case of tyre, as the percentage of tyre increases maximum dry density decreases. Hence tyre alone is not suitable for subgrade. .

4. Soil plastic mix with quarry dust maintains the CBR value within the required range. Soil tyre-soil mix with quarry dust gives lesser CBR value than soil plastic quarry dust mix but it can be used for pavement subgrade

REFERENCES

1. IS: 2720 (Part 1). 1979. Method of test for Soils: Part 1, Preparation of Dry Soil Samples for Various Tests.

2. IS: 2720 (Part 2). 1979. Method of test for Soils: Part 2, Determination of Water Content.

3. IS: 2720 (Part 3). 1979. Method of test for Soils: Part 3, Determination of Specific Gravity.

4. IS: 2720 (Part 4). 1979. Method of test for Soils: Part 4, Grain Size Analysis.

5. IS: 2720 (Part 5). 1979. Method of test for Soils: Part 5, Determination of Liquid Limit and Plastic Limit.

6. IS: 2720 (Part 7). 1979. Method of test for Soils: Part 7, Determination of Water Content-Dry Density Relation Using Light Compaction.

7. IS: 2720 (Part 16). 1979. Method of test for Soils: Part 16, Laboratory Determination of CBR Indian Standards.

8. Foose, G.J, Benson, C.H., and Bosscher, P.J. (1996) Sand reinforced with shredded waste tyres, Journal of Geotechnical Engineering, Vol. 122, No. 9, 760-767.

9. Prasad, Prasada Raju, Ramana Murthy Use of Waste Plastic and Tyre in Pavement Systems, IE(I) Journal-CV, Vol.89, pp 31-35, 2008

10. http://www.wikipedia.com

11. Benson, C.H. and Khire, M.U. Reinforcing Sand with Strips of Reclaimed High-Density Polyethylene,Journal of Geotechnical Engineering,Vol.121,pp 838-855,1994

12. Venkatappa Rao, G. and Dutta, R.K , Ground Improvement with Waste Plastic, Proceedings of 5 th International Conference on Ground Improvement Techniques, 22-23 March, Kaula Lumpur, Malaysia, pp 321-328,2004.

13. Venkatappa Rao, G. and Dutta, R.K, Sand Plastic Mixtures in Ground Improvement, Proceedings of International Conference on Geosynthetics and Geoenvironmental Engineering, Mumbai 8-10 Dec, pp 189-194,2004.

14. Yetimoglu, T., Inanir, M. and Inanir, O.E. A Study on Bearing Capacity of Randomly Distributed Fiber-Reinforced Sand Fills Overlying Soft Clay, Geotextiles and Geomembranes, Vol 23, pp 174-184,2005

15. Yetimoglu, T. and Salbas, O. A Study on Shear Strength of Sands Reinforced with Randomly Distributed Discrete Fibers, Geotextiles and Geomembranes, Vol 21, pp 103-110.,2003.

16. Kaniraj, S.R. and Havanagi, V.G. Behavior of Cement-Stabilized Fiber-Reinforced Fly Ash-Soil Mixtures, Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, Vol 127, pp 574-584,2001.

17. Kumar, R., Kanaujia V.K. and Chandra D. Engineering Behavior of Fiber-Reinforced Pond Ash and Clay, Geotextiles and Geomembranes, Vol 23, pp 174-184,2005.

18. Dutta, R. K., Sarda, V. K. CBR Behaviour of Waste Plastic Strip-Reinforced Stone Dust/Fly Ash Overlying Saturated Clay , Journal of Geotechnical Engineering, Vol. 31,pp 171-182,2007.

19. Prasad, S. V., Prasada Raju, G. V. R., Performance of Waste Tyre Rubber on Model Flexible Pavement, ARPN Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Vol. 4, No. 6.,2009.

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18_STUDY ON USE